The BBC's director of BBC North had a not-entirely-happy time as controller of BBC1, as well as stints as director of sport and chief creative officer of BBC Vision, which should look good on the CV if he applies for the top job. Plus if he becomes director of Vision, people will stop bothering him about moving to Salford.

The BBC's director of archive content has plenty of experience, having been controller of BBC2 (and acting controller of BBC1) as well as launch controller of BBC4. So he knows what it feels like to have your best programmes nicked, as well as the warm, guilty pleasure that comes when you are the one doing the nicking. But more of a competent manager than a creative visionary?

George Entwistle

Has possibly the least sexy job title of anyone on this list – narrowly beating Roly Keating – as the BBC's controller of knowledge commissioning and controller of editorial standards for BBC Vision. Previously editor of Newsnight, Entwhistle launched The Culture Show on BBC2 and was acting controller of BBC4. Enough of a heavyweight?

The BBC's head of audio and music has overseen a sterling performance by the BBC's five main radio stations, but he dropped the digital ball after the BBC Trust knocked back plans to close BBC 6 Music. Running BBC Vision would mean he wouldn't have to think about digital radio anymore. The former marketing man hasn't got editorial experience – but that didn't stop him getting the radio job.

Kevin Lygo

The former Channel 4 programming boss turned ITV Studios head honcho is the media hacks' favourite. Not because he is most likely to get the job – he only moved to ITV in August – but because he's good for a quote. Lots of them. He has previous BBC experience – he launched Terry Wogan's weeknight BBC1 chatshow and wrote gags for the Two Ronnies. BBC4 candles, anyone?

Jane Root

The former BBC2 controller and Discovery Channel president Jane Root has a habit of being mentioned whenever a top TV job comes up, including the vacant Channel 4 chief executive's job before it was filled by David Abraham earlier this year. Founded independent producer Nutopia, whose 12-hour drama documentary America: The Story of Us, was introduced by Barack Obama. BBC Vision: The Story of Root? Introduced by Greg Dyke, obviously.

The former BBC Radio 4 controller turned director of BBC News was second only to Jana Bennett as the woman most likely to be dubbed the "first female director general". She has just taken on some of the wider responsibilities for journalism held by outgoing deputy director general Mark Byford, and is not expected to apply.

The Stig

Viewer favourite who helped propel BBC2's Top Gear to previously unimagined audience heights. Also helped shift a load of Top Gear-themed product doing no end of good for BBC Worldwide's bottom line. Enviable combination of commercial and creative nous, but the whole "Stig" thing became a lot less interesting when everyone found out who he was. Pencil him in for the BBC3 job.